Effect of Title Length and Word Count on Views: Evidence from Microsoft Excel videos on YouTube

Tomohiro Kawata; Takumi Kato; Kazuhiko Tsuda

doi:10.4108/eetsis.7779

Authors

Tomohiro Kawata University of Tsukuba
Takumi Kato Meiji University
Kazuhiko Tsuda University of Tsukuba

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4108/eetsis.7779

Keywords:

Video-sharing platform, Title, Viewing behaviour

Abstract

This study examines the influence of title length and the number of words in titles on the view counts of YouTube videos, with a focus on optimizing title characteristics to enhance viewer engagement. Using a dataset of 12,466 Microsoft Excel tutorial videos published between January 2006 and November 2023, the analysis identifies significant patterns in title characteristics that affect viewership. The results reveal a bell-shaped relationship, with both mean and median view counts peaking at specific title lengths and word counts, emphasizing the importance of striking a balance between informativeness and brevity. Furthermore, the study highlights the critical role of visual information (character count) compared to semantic information (word count) in driving video engagement. By providing actionable insights, this research offers practical, cost-efficient guidelines for creators to optimize their video titles, ultimately contributing to more effective content strategies on digital platforms.

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